狭せまい

せ

ま

い

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

狭い · i-adjective

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	狭せまい	狭せまくない
Polite	狭せまいです	狭せまくないですalso 狭せまくありません
Past polite	狭せまかったです	狭せまくなかったですalso 狭せまくありませんでした
Past	狭せまかった	狭せまくなかった
Te-form	狭せまくて	狭せまくなくて
Adverbial	狭せまく
Conditional	狭せまければ	狭せまくなければ
Tara conditional	狭せまかったら	狭せまくなかったら

Meanings

i-adjective

narrow; cramped; small

Describes physical spaces that are tight, confined, or lack room. Often used for rooms, streets, or containers.

この部屋へやは狭せまいですね。
This room is narrow, isn't it?
狭せまい道みちで車くるまがすれ違ちがうのは難むずかしい。
It's difficult for cars to pass each other on a narrow road.

i-adjective

limited; narrow-minded; confining

Metaphorical use for a limited scope, narrow perspective, or restrictive situation. Common in phrases like 視野が狭い (narrow field of vision) or 考え方が狭い (narrow-minded thinking).

彼かれは視し野やが狭せまい。
He has a narrow perspective.
そんな狭せまい考かんがえ方かたでは成せい功こうできない。
You can't succeed with such a narrow-minded way of thinking.

See all 360 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉が狭せまくて〈動どう詞し〉a place is so narrow/cramped that ...
部屋へやが狭せまくて、荷に物もつが置おけない。
The room is so cramped that I can't put my luggage anywhere.
〈人ひと〉は考かんがえが狭せまいsomeone is narrow-minded in their thinking
彼かれは考かんがえが狭せまくて、他ほかの意い見けんを聞きかない。
He's narrow-minded and won't listen to other opinions.

Expressions· 10

心こころが狭せまいnarrow-minded; intolerant; small-minded
狭せまき門もんthe strait gate; the narrow gate · high barrier; difficult hurdle; narrow gate
幅はばの狭せまいnarrow; of narrow width
心こころの狭せまいnarrow-minded; intolerant; small-minded
度ど量りょうの狭せまいnarrow-minded; parochial; prejudiced

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肩かた身みが狭せまいfeel small; feel ashamed; feel inferior
肩かた身みの狭せまいashamed; embarrassed; feeling small
視し野やの狭せまいnarrow-minded; shortsighted

See all 10 in Explore →

Kanji

狭cramped, narrow, contract

Related words

狭きょう小しょう sense 1
狭小 is a formal, written word for 'small and narrow' (e.g. of land or rooms), while 狭い is the everyday spoken adjective.
窮きゅう屈くつN1sense 1
窮屈 emphasizes the uncomfortable, cramped feeling of a tight space or situation, while 狭い simply states that something lacks room.

Opposites· 6

広ひろいN4
広い means 'wide/spacious', the direct opposite of 狭い for both physical space and figurative scope.
広こう範はん囲い
狭い describes something narrow or limited in space, the opposite of 広範囲's sense of covering a wide area.
ワイド
狭い means 'narrow' and is the natural opposite of the width sense of ワイド, though 狭い itself is used far more freely as a standalone adjective.

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広ひろ々びろN2
狭い means narrow or cramped, the direct opposite of the open, spacious feeling conveyed by 広々.
幅はば広ひろいN1
狭い means 'narrow' and is the direct opposite of 幅広い, which means 'wide' or 'broad in range'.
広ひろめ
狭い means 'narrow' or 'cramped', the opposite of the 'somewhat wide' nuance carried by 広め.

Don't confuse with

細ほそいN5sense 1
細い describes thin, slender objects like sticks or threads, while 狭い describes a lack of width or room in a space.
狭せばまるN1
狭い is an adjective describing a state of being narrow, while 狭まる is a verb describing the process of becoming narrow.

Word family

手て狭ぜま
narrow; small; cramped
極ごく狭せま
very narrow; extremely cramped
所ところ狭せまい
crowded; packed; crammed
所ところ狭せましと
crowded; packed; overflowing
狭せま苦くるしい
cramped; confined; uncomfortably narrow

Written forms

狭せまいUsage91%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
せまいUsage9%

Etymology

Native Japanese adjective. The kanji 狭 is conventionally associated with narrowness and confinement.